Three Gauchos Qualify for 2012 Olympic Trials

Jun 23, 2011

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – UC Santa Barbara swimmers Chris Peterson, Tim Freeman and Sophia Yamauchi have each qualified for the 2012 USA Swimming Olympic Trials, which will be held in Omaha, Nebraska next June.

Peterson, who recently represented UCSB at the NCAA Championships this spring, has qualified in the 50 meter freestyle after swimming the event in 23.42 seconds at the Santa Clara International Grand Prix last weekend.

Freeman has qualified in the 100 and 200 meter breaststrokes, posting times of 1:03.91 and 2:20.69, respectively, at the same event.

Yamauchi, meanwhile, qualified in the 100 breaststroke with a mark of 1:11.78.

Additionally, former UCSB swimmer, Katy Freeman, has qualified in both the100 breast (1:09.77) and the 200 breast (2:29.49).

Each of these swimmers is expected to qualify for more events at the Olympic Trials as the summer progresses. Additional Gauchos are also expected to join the ranks of qualifiers in the next year leading up to the trials.

During the last Olympic Trials in 2008, UCSB had 13 swimmers compete, the most since 1988.